Unraveling of Life After A New Generation Story
by LottaLovegoodPickles
Summary: The war is long over and the Next Gen. kids go to Hogwarts & experience changes, including new friends & romances, sibling and interhouse rivalries, new teachers w/ unknown pasts, and a threat possibly disrupting their peace. Takes place over seven years.


All recognizable characters belong to the genius J. K. Rowling.

My take on what happens nineteen years later...

Synopsis:

The war is long over and the Next Generation gang start the school year with many changes at Hogwarts, including that of new friends, sibling rivalries, inter-house relations, new romances, a new headmaster with an enigmatic past, a deputy headmistress with an identity crisis, an eccentric American DADA professor, and a new threat possibly disrupting the long standing peace in Wizarding Britain. Takes place over seven years.

* * *

><p><span>1 September 2017<span>

Thank Merlin, she was finally alone.

Eleven-year-old Rose Candace Weasley, the bushy haired redhead had slipped in an empty compartment, safely away from her many rambunctious relatives and their friends. She was finally on the Hogwarts Express, on her way to school. The revised version of _Hogwarts a History _lay next to her. With a small smile, she picked it up and continued reading from where she left off the previous day, which was the chapter detailing the Battle of Hogwarts, signaling the end of the Second Wizarding War. Everyone she knew and loved were involved. Her granddad and grandmum Weasley. All her Weasley uncles and aunts, one of whom died. Her dad, Ron, her mum Hermione, and especially her uncle Harry Potter...

1998 was the year it all changed. Her parents, aunts and uncles were not much older than she, when they fought against the evil that was Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters and revolutionized the wizarding world soon after.

Rose, ever her mother's daughter, knew that not everything was rainbows and butterflies. There were still a small handful of Purebloods, who refused to believe that their world had to change, including much less of the pro-Pureblood laws and more protecting the interests of Muggleborns. There was also the enigma of the Malfoy clan, exonerated yet disgraced in wizarding Britian. In fact, the son of the only Malfoy heir was to attend Hogwarts with Rose herself.

She chuckled, remembering her dad's joking warnings not to be too friendly to Scorpius Malfoy and to beat him in every test.

Yes, she intended on beating him in every test, no doubt about that. She was her mother's daughter after all. However, on the friendly count, she did not know. Most likely the two would probably not see each other much, as both of them would be placed in different houses anyway, especially as history tells it, Gryffindors and Slytherins do not mix.

The compartment door opened, and she was no longer alone. Oh, well, Rose thought, as she closed her book. She will just have to wait until she was settled in her dormitory (preferably in Gryffindor Tower) to read.

An energetic dark-skinned girl appeared in her compartment causing Rose to look up. Her cousin Roxanne Weasley was standing near the door, clutching something in her arm. Both Rose and Roxanne are close, like sisters, and will be starting in their first year at Hogwarts together.

"Hey girl! Knew I'd find you sooner or later!"

"Well, you found me. You might as well sit down."

Roxanne then sits across from her cousin, and tossed over this week's edition of the _Daily Prophet._

"You read the latest on the _Prophet, _cuz?"

"Hmm?"

Rose takes the newspaper and opened it up to reveal a bold heading **Hogwarts and Sinclair Entering New Era Ready to Transcend Wizarding Education! **

"Too bad about old McGonagall, eh?" Roxanne uttered.

Rose nodded, remembering Minerva McGonagall's sudden announcement last May to retire after sixty plus years of loyal service to the school, including her nineteen year tenure as Headmistress. Mostly everyone was stunned; McGonagall still had a bit to go till the normal retirement age in the wizarding world. However, it was to be expected, especially since McGonagall had to be the one to rebuild Hogwarts after the war and it had taken a toll on her. Rose, knowing McGonagall as her godmother, would rather it be that way. Like, who wants to go to school where their godparent is the Headteacher? It was weird enough that family friend Neville Longbottom is to be her Herbology professor...

The new Headmaster, Maximilian Sinclair was pictured along with new Deputy Headmistress Juliana Lewis, the Transfiguration professor. Rose sighed heavily. Yes, they were both good choices to run Hogwarts, no doubt about it. Professor Lewis, a young, organized and bright American-bred witch, had started teaching about three years ago and is the youngest of all the faculty. Her McGonagall-like firmness as well as a closer age gap to her students helped her gain popularity as one of the most beloved professors at Hogwarts.

Professor Sinclair was a different story. The first Defence Against the Dark Arts professor to take over after the curse was lifted, Sinclair was a strict teacher who had no patience for rule-breakers and pranksters; Rose's cousins James Sirius Potter, Louis and Fred Weasley were known to be his least favourite students. Many of the students feared him and dreaded the piles of homework and essays he assigned, especially in NEWT DADA.

"Who's taking over the DADA post, I wonder? I heard it's some American?" Rose questioned.

"Yep. Richard McMahon. Look at his photo here."

Rose glanced down at the next photo accompanying the article. Professor McMahon from Mysterian Academy, a wizarding school in Pacific Northwest America, was a younger man around the same age as her parents or maybe slightly older. His hair was longer, like one of those Muggle guys that liked rock music and seemed to be genial overall. It was evident that Richard McMahon is quite unlike the traditional and at times strict Hogwarts professors that came by. He was smiling quite brightly and seemed to be excited about his challenge in his new Defence Against the Dark Arts position at the most prevelent wizarding school in the world.

"Hm- quite a long way from Sinclair."

"James, Fred and Louis are going to have a field day with this guy," Roxanne shook her head.

"Well, after a long year of Sinclair being on their case about breaking rules and taking points from them, the Marauders of the Twenty-first Century will be sure to be among those glad to have McMahon as their DADA professor."

"I dunno. Maybe McMahon could be as strict as Sinclair."

"Heh! I doubt it! A guy like that can't possibly be as strict as _him_."

"I wonder if he likes Quidditch," Roxanne then mused.

"He probably does."

"Sinclair on the other hand..."

Rose changed the subject and the two spoke of what would happen once they got to school.

"I _really _hope I get into Gryffindor," Roxanne said.

"Roxy, we're _guaranteed_. We're Weasleys; of course we'll get sorted into Gryffindor! Worse comes to worst, we'd probably get into Ravenclaw."

"You mean _you _will get into Ravenclaw."

"You know what I mean."

Rose then glanced out the window. "I wonder what our parents were thinking when they were starting at Hogwarts."

"Dunno. I bet neither of them ever expected to be close friends with the Boy Who Lived."

"Who knows? Maybe the same sort of unexpected situations could happen with us."

"Maybe."

They then hear loud laughter from a nearby compartment.

"Oh Merlin!" exclaimed Roxanne. "You want to bet four Sickles, James and his lot are planning to prank people already?"

"Let's not. I'd rather not get involved. You can go ahead and confiscate their rubbish from Uncle George's joke shop, but they'll just keep it up."

"Meh. I can at least try. I can always threaten to tell Grandmum Weasley."

"That might work."

"Catch you," Roxanne slipped out, leaving Rose alone again to her thoughts.

* * *

><p>The young boy of eleven was finally able to seperate himself from his brother and friends. The first year at Hogwarts was going to be stressful, he just knew it. The whispers kept going as he made his way through numerous compartments.<p>

"Is that the son of the Chosen One Who Brought Peace to our world?"

"I believe so. He's James' little brother."

"Hm. A Slytherin when I see one."

Albus Severus Potter had learned to ignore the whispers. The evident celebrity of his father and his two late namesakes was still confusing to him. As if it wasn't enough to deal with his teasing older brother...

He peeked into one compartment to find his cousin Rose sitting alone reading _Hogwarts A History. _Should he...?

"Hey!" a voice called out. A blond boy with a pale complexion of around his own age rushed over. Al immediately knew who it was: Scorpius Malfoy. He glanced toward Malfoy wondering if he was going to be taunted or humiliated knowing the history between their fathers at their age.

"All the other compartments are full," the young Malfoy uttered, voice showing no trace of venom. In fact he seemed just as nervous and insecure as Al himself. "Were you about to take this one?"

"It's just my cousin Rose in there," Al took a breath, wondering if he should invite him to sit with him and his cousin. This Malfoy seemed friendly, not at all like his father and grandfather...

"You want to join us?"

"Sure," Scorpius smiled a little.

The two then opened the compartment door, as Rose looked up from her book.

"Hey Al," she greeted.

"All the others are full and I refuse to sit with James and the rest of them."

"I'm with you. Who's this?" Rose asked, even though the look on her face gave the fact that she already knew Malfoy.

"Scorpius Malfoy," the young Malfoy held out a hand for Rose to shake. "You must be Rose Weasley."

"So, what if I am?" Rose was unsure what to do. The very boy her dad had warned her not to get friendly with was talking to her now.

"Your parents..." he trailed off.

"I know, I know. They're famous."

"...and you have the red hair of the Weasleys."

"That is also true. And I know you're a Malfoy," Rose still wore the look of mistrust.

"No, no, no, you misunderstand!" Scorpius had to clear the tension in the compartment. "I'm nothing like my family. Believe me, Father made his share of mistakes when he was young and he and Mother raised me to be better than that!"

Rose's face softened a little, as Al uttered, "He seems to be telling the truth."

With that, she took Scorpius' hand to shake. "Alright. Lovely to meet you, Scorpius."

The three then start chatting about what to expect for their first year. Both Al and Scorpius seemed to be more comfortable. With at least one friendly prespective Slytherin, Al knew that the only thing to worry about if sorted into the infamous house is James' reaction.

"I wonder what type of headmaster Sinclair's going to be...?" Al uttered.

* * *

><p>"Merlin, James! Can't you get through <em>one day <em>without pranking someone?"

"It's fun, Syl. It's who I am."

"Pranking a bunch of innocent first years is _fun?"_

_ "_Geez, Adams. You need to get out more."

James Sirius Potter, a cheerful, mischievous boy of twelve was making his way toward the entrance hall, with Sylvia Adams, his close friend and fellow Gryffindor in tow.

"In case you haven't noticed, James, Professor Sinclair's the Headmaster now, and considering the history you have with him-"

"Sinclair doesn't scare me, Sylvia. He may be the Headmaster and all, but it doesn't change anything."

"Whatever, James. He may be too busy to dish out hundreds of detentions to you, like he did last year, but he's in charge now."

James only waved a hand at this. Sylvia, defeated, only walked with him slowly toward the Great Hall. The four House tables were filled with numerous excited students and just about all the faculty members are seated at the staff table. James and Sylvia could immediately spot the formidable figure of Professor Sinclair seated in the Headmaster's chair. Professor Lewis's absence from the table told them that she was still out with the first years detailing the rules and expectations of Hogwarts.

"Yo, James!" Louis and Fred Weasley, James' two rambunctious cousins rush over to sit with him and Sylvia at the Gryffindor table. Fred, like his younger sister had the dark skin of their mother, but the reddish hair of their wisecracking father. Louis, although blond like his quarter-Veela mother, wore the distinct freckles of the Weasleys. They, along with James Sirius, were inseparable causing many of the adults and their more sensible cousins and siblings to term them as the Marauders of the Twenty-first Century.

"Hey, Lou, Fred!" James greeted, smiling now.

"How bogus is it that _Sinclair's _the Headmaster?" Fred started, shaking his head.

"A travesty!" Louis sighed. "I thought for sure they were going to sack him."

Sylvia cast a glare at the trio at this, but the boys paid no heed.

"Maybe McGonagall's senile or something...she has to be to get the board of directors to allow that git to be promoted," James shrugged.

Sylvia's eyes flashed with anger. "Maybe he was given the promotion because he _deserved it!"_

"Sticking up for Sinclair, eh Adams?" Louis uttered.

"Someone has to," muttered James. "Besides not everyone who has been headmaster has deserved it. Case in point, Severus Snape."

"What's your point_?" _Sylvia cried. "He never wanted to; You-Know-Who told him to."

"Where'd you hear that? _Hogwarts A History _or all those books on the Second Wizarding War? It doesn't matter; Uncle George said that he was a complete bastard who favoured the Slytherins above all others."

"_So? _Professor Sinclair's not like that at all! You only think that because you all had your share of detentions with him last year."

Before, any of the boys could respond, Professor Lewis burst in with the tattered Sorting Hat and stool in hands, with about forty first years trailing behind her.

The Sorting began with little fanfair as a few were sorted into each House, only a few murmurs followed each vaguely familiar surname.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat bellowed, as "Malfoy, Scorpius" was sorted. Exhaling a deep breath, he waved toward at Rose and Al as he made his way toward the Slytherin table. James cast a glare toward his direction; how dare _he _wave at his brother and cousin like that...?

Soon enough, it was "Potter, Albus" who was to be sorted next. With his heart pounding vigerously, Al made his way toward the stool. Many mutterings commenced around the Great Hall. Even the teachers were whispering quietly amongst themselves. Professor Sinclair glanced toward him, his gaze obviously on the scene before him. Professor Lewis smiled pityingly at him, as she slipped the hat on his head.

_Relax Al. Remember what Dad said. If you want to be in Gryffindor, you could simply request it. If worst comes to worst, you'll be in Slytherin with Scorpius..._

"Very interesting," he heard the hat mutter. "Very interesting indeed. The second son of the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One..."

Al gripped his hands on the stool, clearly nervous.

"...your brother was not as difficult to sort...in fact I had this very situation with your father..."

"Are you...considering...Slytherin?" Al croaked.

"You have great potential, yes, to achieve much...possibly to the extent as your father..."

"But in Slytherin? He was..."

"Yes, yes, in Gryffindor. However, I believe you could achieve more..."

"In Slytherin?" Al finished.

It was inevitable.

"As much as I want to be in Gryffindor, I don't want to be overshadowed by James, but Slytherin with its history..."

He doesn't finish.

Silence filled the Great Hall, as the students held their breath.

"Come on, come on. Gryffindor!" James whispered, anxiously.

No one was to expect the next scene that enfolded before them. Not much sooner after the hat bellowed "SLYTHERIN!" did the students either gasp or mutter to each other. Al, dumbfounded it seemed, slipped over toward the Slytherin table to sit next to a confused yet glad Scorpius.

"WHAT?" James exclaimed. Sylvia covered her head in her hands expecting another rant.

"That bloody hat is mental, that's it! There is no way, _no way _that a Potter could be sorted into Slytherin! It's unheard of! My brother a _Slytherin! _I could just die...it's the middle name, yes. "Severus" just _screams _Slytherin, you know? He was named after one- one of the worst of 'em..."

"James, SHUT UP!" Sylvia cried.

Luckily, the rest of the sorting finished without further fanfair, as "Weasley, Rose," and "Weasley, Roxanne" were both sorted into Gryffindor as expected.

The first years were then taken toward their dormitories, after the start of term rules were gone over and the usual feast went on without any problems. James glanced toward his brother, who was now following the Slytherin prefect along with Malfoy and the other Slytherins presumely toward the dungeons. Like it wasn't bad enough...he's friends with that Malfoy kid!

_Forget it James. He's not worth brooding over. Albus _Severus _is no brother to you as far as you are concerned._

* * *

><p>Alone, finally alone.<p>

Groaning, Juliana Lewis threw herself on her bed, once she got back to her private rooms, just above the Transfiguration classroom. Is this how it was going to be now? Exhaustion? Pain? Weariness?

The precocious twenty-two-year-old had been through too much to complain now. Abandoned by her birth parents at three, Juliana spent most of her young life in Massachusetts with her godparents, the Breys, raising her as their own. Attending Hogwarts had been a difficult decision to make. Living in London at the time, it wasn't a problem, but going away to school meant being far away from her friends in Massachusetts and London. Now, she saw the historical wizarding school as her second home. It had been hard at times, not knowing her true heritage and enduring the snide taunts of her more popular classmates. It also did not help to have Maximilian Sinclair as one of her professors. The only one of all her professors to not pity her situation or in his words "pamper her until her head swells up," Juliana never got along with him or felt comfortable around him.

The sickness she had felt all summer reappeared with her thoughts on Sinclair once again. She remembered her despair at the news that Minerva McGonagall, the one who had mentored her and hired her, would be retiring. She had threw up all night upon receiving the news that Sinclair would be Headmaster and worse yet, her being chosen to be his Deputy. There had already been nasty remarks about her being too young and inexperienced, and they had swelled at this latest news.

Why had Sinclair hired her? she wondered, as she ran her hand though her long wavy raven hair. There were many other options- Neville Longbottom, Head of Gryffindor House and Herbology professor for eight years, Matilda Kittle, Head of Hufflepuff House and Charms professor for five, Theodore Nott, Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master for seven or even Professors Sinistra and Vector, the only professors left from the Second Wizarding War. All older and more experienced than her. Why her, only teaching for three years? Granted she was also Head of Ravenclaw House, but still...

She could have just been hired for mere potential.

Laughing at the thought of Sinclair hiring for potential, she readied herself for bed. There was just no way... Sinclair was strictly professional, he wouldn't make decisions based on "trivialities."

Would he?

_Shut it, Juliana. He hated you in his class; he never acknowledged you in any way, so don't even think..._

Her train of thought was broken with a knock on the door to her private rooms.

"Oh Merlin, _what?"_

Praying that it wasn't a summons to Sinclair's office, she opened the door to find out who was disturbing her at ten at night, the night before the first day of classes.

Neville Longbottom was standing there glancing worriedly at her.

"Oh, hello Neville," her voice was friendlier at seeing her favourite colleague. If there was one person at Hogwarts that understood her, it was Neville. Also an outcast as a student and going through a difficult life, Neville took to Juliana straightaway. Heck, both had professors that spoiled their lives, her with Sinclair and Neville with the late Severus Snape, who she had heard was worse. She then became close to Neville and his wife Hannah, the new owner of the Leaky Cauldron.

"You alright, Juliana? You hardly spoke at dinner tonight."

"Meh," she waved a hand. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Neville. I'm fine."

She then let him in her small sitting room.

"I've heard the- whispers," Neville started off, nervous now.

Juliana nodded knowingly. "That I'm too young, too experienced, Sinclair's mental, blah, blah, blah."

"Basically."

"Does it bother you?" he then asked her. "Working for Sinclair now?"

"Well, if I said it didn't, I'd be lying through my teeth."

Silence.

"You know, he's no longer your professor, Juli."

"Tell _him _that. Ever since Minerva hired me to teach here three years ago, he's treated me like I'm some sort of child who can't take on responsiblity. Yes, I may have been months away from turning twenty, but I was more than old enough to take on responsiblity."

"He's like that to _all _new staff members. As you may or may not recall, he was cold and distrustful of me when I first started here."

"I know right? A former Auror returns to finish his education and fulfill a _dream_ of educating the next generation."

"Precisely, what he said."

"Let's just pretend you did not say that."

"Anyway, Juliana, maybe Maximilian just wants to work with you with the hope that you could be turn out to be good friends."

"Friends? Sinclair and I? No chance."

"I dunno, Juli. It could happen."

"Yeah, and Voldemort could come back from the dead."

"_Juli-"_

_ "_I'm just sayin'!"

Silence.

"I-it's late, Neville. I should probably get to bed," Juliana finally sighed.

"You sure? Tilly, Theo, and I were going to take Rich out to the Hog's Head, you know for a welcoming sort of drink."

"I'd rather not. I don't go out really and I especially don't enjoy drinking-"

"I don't either, but it'll be fun. Come join us."

"Alright, alright! Just don't give me that "puppy sad eyes look," it doesn't look good on you."

"Just get ready, Jules, and meet us at the Hogs Head."

"See you then, Nev."

She was left alone again with her thoughts, glancing down at today's _Daily Prophet, _the photo of her and Sinclair and also the headlines stating a beginning of a new era at Hogwarts...

"Merlin give me strength," she murmured to herself, as she headed into her bedroom to get ready to go out.


End file.
